# Hybrid Heat Pump Water Heater



## NIU_Huskies

Does anyone have any experience with a hybrid heat pump water heater? SMECO is giving a $500 rebate and then you get a $300 federal tax credit. $800 worth of refunds pretty much pays for two of the models down below.

My understanding is its very similar to an HVAC heat pump that you use to cool and heat your house, however, these are supposed to be much more efficient (up to 70%) than your regular electric water heater and they just pull in the ambient area within the room that they are installed.

I was looking at the following three models:

1. Rheem XE50T12EH45U0 (cost of $1,399 at Home Depot) - would save me $456* per year in electric costs over my current water heater.

2. GE GEH50DFEJSR (cost of $999.00 at Lowes) - would save me $517* per year in electric costs over my current water heater.

3. Whirlpool HPSE2K50HD045V (cost of $1,044.89 at Lowes) - would save me $483* per year in electric costs over my current water heater.

* Based on $0.14 per kwh energy rate

My current electric water heater is 19 years old and uses 5,047 kwh / year, which comes out to $707 per year in electric costs.


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## Chris0nllyn

Here's my post from another similar thread.



Chris0nllyn said:


> Hybrid water heaters have a heat pump on them. They don't work in conjunction with your house heat pump.
> 
> FHRs (First Hour Rates) on some new (like Rheem) hybrid water heaters are upwards of 70+ gallons for 50 gallon models. A similar Rheem electric water heater has a FHR of about 60 gallons. So homeowners should do some calculations on what their FHRs are and size your water heater to that. (FHRs aren't how much water it holds, FYI)
> 
> The main difference being recovery times. A hybrid water heater recovery time is only about 8 gallons per hour (depending on ambient air temp), while your basic electric water heater is close to 22 gallons per hour. The difference is, the heat pump only draws about 550 watts compared to 4,500 watts from standard electric heating elements. So if an average shower uses 16 gallons of hot water, the heat pump would run about 2 hours to reheat the water and use about 1.2 kilowatt hours of electricity. For the same 16 gallons of water, a standard electric water heater would take about 48 minutes at 4,500 watts of power which is about 3.2 kilowatt hours, almost three times the energy.
> 
> Basically, even if it runs longer to heat the water, it's still cheaper. Unless you're running a hair salon or something where you need hot water all the time, most people have periods of time where they don't use any hot water. That's when the hybrid units have time to heat the water back up (especially if it's in your basement during the winter, it'll take longer, just like your home heat pump becomes less efficient the colder it gets).





Chris0nllyn said:


> Not sure what you mean by running water lines to your existing heat pumps.
> 
> Typically these water heaters have a switch to go from heat pump only to hybrid or electric only, so it doesn't necessarily have to switch to electric heat during the winter. It's basically a reverse refrigerator sitting on top of the water heater. In terms of efficiency, they are very much efficient. When 25%+ of your electric bill is heating water, some people want it.
> 
> Like I said, it's not for everyone.
> 
> For someone like me, with 2 people living at home and using hot water 2-3 times a day, it could make sense because it has all day to heat the water back up.
> 
> Besides, even with a $500 SMECO rebate, you're still talking about a $1,000+ water heater compared to a 12-year electric water heater in the $500 range.


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## GWguy

I've looked into them, but haven't pulled the trigger yet.

You seem to be more focused on costs and cost of operation than anything else.  This is ok, but don't overlook the physics of a unit like this.  As Chris pointed out above, the cooler the environment, the longer it takes to recover, especially if it's in a cool basement.  If you have a lot of back-to-back hot water usage, like early morning showers, you may not make it thru all the showers before you get cool water.  If the heater is a hybrid, it will kick over to electric heat mode to recover, and you may be losing your savings.

Another aspect of heat pump hot water heaters is that they act like dehumidifiers.  In the process of extracting heat from the air, they also extract water.  This water needs to be drained away.  If you don't have a drain handy, you need to get one installed. Emptying a bucket won't work.

Check on the reliability of the units you're looking at.  The older GE hybrids have a terrible repair history with control boards failing, and trouble getting them repaired.  I don't know if they've resolved that issue by now.  Do a Google search of your model repair issues.


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## NIU_Huskies

All good points. Yes, i am predominately concerned with reducing my electrical bill but also would like a reliable unit. Ideally, we're talking about a nearly $40 reduction in my monthly electric bill.

This would go in my utility room (11.5 feet by 6.5 feet in size) where my furnace and washer and dryer are located, which is about the same temperature as the rest of the house. I do not have a basement so i would assume it would be rather efficient since it will be on the main level of the house.

As for draining, looks like you can buy a condensate pump for about $60 (which of course adds to your monthly electric usage) or i would assume it could be drained out of the room using PVC pipe like my coil unit for the home heat pump system.

What does the typical installation cost of a tank water heater cost? Considering there is no electrical upgrade required (like tankless) there shouldn't be many expenses for parts except for probably re-routing your plumbing connections to reach the new water heaters connection points.


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## NIU_Huskies

GWguy said:


> Check on the reliability of the units you're looking at.  The older GE hybrids have a terrible repair history with control boards failing, and trouble getting them repaired.  I don't know if they've resolved that issue by now.  Do a Google search of your model repair issues.



I was looking at the reviews for the GE model on Lowe's website and out of 580 reviews it has 4.5/5 stars.

Sounds like it was as you said, that the first version of the product had most of the issues. It appears that they are on their 2nd or 3rd version of this product now.


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## PeoplesElbow

Personally I think those costs are overstated.  I was gone for two weeks so I turned the breaker for my water heater off,  considering I wasn't home to use any electricity for other stuff to I figured my bill would be quite a bit lower but it really wasn't.


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## NIU_Huskies

PeoplesElbow said:


> Personally I think those costs are overstated.  I was gone for two weeks so I turned the breaker for my water heater off,  considering I wasn't home to use any electricity for other stuff to I figured my bill would be quite a bit lower but it really wasn't.



How long have you had your heat pump water heater? Maybe you're already seeing the cost reduction in your bill so turning it off doesn't change much.

My current 19 year old water heater uses 5,047 kwh / year. If the GE product uses 1,351 kwh / year that would be a 73% energy reduction from my current water heater. I'm currently paying $747 per year (at SMECO rate of 0.148 kwh) for my water heater, which works out to $62 a month of electric.

It looks like even the most efficient electric-only water heaters are only in the 4600 kwh / year range. So over the last 19 years they've barely gotten more efficient.


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## meddauna

I have the GE hybrid heat pump water heater from Lowes, and I like having it. Before I had it my lowest electric bill was somewhere between $85 and $100, and my lowest electric bill since I've had it was around $59; an impressive reduction. The fact that it also functions as a dehumidifier is a plus when it gets humid in the house. Because it is a heat pump, it takes heat from the air, which means it cools whatever space it lives in; I'm looking forward to a relatively frosty basement in the summer. As long as I opened the basement vents for heat in the winter it didn't get overly cold.

The installation instructions want 100 cubic feet of air in whatever room it's in so it has enough air mass and flow to heat water. If you're putting this in a small closet, they sell a venting kit for it so the cold air vents outside and keeps it efficient.

It runs on an electric motor that generates noise. It can be little loud if the utility room door isn't shut. 

There are several modes of operation from only heat pump, to a couple variants of hybrid that kick on the normal electric coils at different points for faster recovery, to a pure electric mode. There's even a vacation mode where you input the number of days you're gone and the heater will keep the water at 65º (?) while you're gone and will have hot water when you get home.


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## PeoplesElbow

NIU_Huskies said:


> How long have you had your heat pump water heater? Maybe you're already seeing the cost reduction in your bill so turning it off doesn't change much.



I dont have a heat pump water heater, just a regular ole 50 gallon electric one.


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## nutz

NIU_Huskies said:


> How long have you had your heat pump water heater? Maybe you're already seeing the cost reduction in your bill so turning it off doesn't change much.
> 
> My current 19 year old water heater uses 5,047 kwh / year. If the GE product uses 1,351 kwh / year that would be a 73% energy reduction from my current water heater. I'm currently paying $747 per year (at SMECO rate of 0.148 kwh) for my water heater, which works out to $62 a month of electric.
> 
> It looks like even the most efficient electric-only water heaters are only in the 4600 kwh / year range. So over the last 19 years they've barely gotten more efficient.





NIU_Huskies said:


> How long have you had your heat pump water heater? Maybe you're already seeing the cost reduction in your bill so turning it off doesn't change much.
> 
> My current 19 year old water heater uses 5,047 kwh / year. If the GE product uses 1,351 kwh / year that would be a 73% energy reduction from my current water heater. I'm currently paying $747 per year (at SMECO rate of 0.148 kwh) for my water heater, which works out to $62 a month of electric.
> 
> It looks like even the most efficient electric-only water heaters are only in the 4600 kwh / year range. So over the last 19 years they've barely gotten more efficient.


Don't dismiss the cost of regular check ups by the hvac person.   Have you considered an on demand system!


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## NIU_Huskies

nutz said:


> Don't dismiss the cost of regular check ups by the hvac person.   Have you considered an on demand system!



I've looked into the tankless water heaters and there appears to be a significant cost associated with them. I would likely need to have my electrical panel upgraded since it looks like they run on 60+ amps.


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## PeoplesElbow

NIU_Huskies said:


> I've looked into the tankless water heaters and there appears to be a significant cost associated with them. I would likely need to have my electrical panel upgraded since it looks like they run on 60+ amps.



On demand are much better if you have gas,  I wouldn't do it with electric.


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## nutz

PeoplesElbow said:


> On demand are much better if you have gas,  I wouldn't do it with electric.



Why?  I'm running one of each (propane and electric, 2 zones) with no issues so far.


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## PeoplesElbow

nutz said:


> Why?  I'm running one of each (propane and electric, 2 zones) with no issues so far.



Does the electric one cover something high flow such as a shower in the winter months when the water needs the most heating?  

I see electric ones as fine for sinks etc but it takes a lot of current for high flow lines.


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## nutz

PeoplesElbow said:


> Does the electric one cover something high flow such as a shower in the winter months when the water needs the most heating?
> 
> I see electric ones as fine for sinks etc but it takes a lot of current for high flow lines.



Electric one does main house, 3 full baths + laundry. Propane is for master bath, 2nd laundry and garage.


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## NIU_Huskies

SMECO is offering a bonus $50 to their $500 rebate (for $550 total) on Hybrid Heat Pump water heaters through June 12th.

Add that to the $300 federal credit and you're going to get $850 back on the purchase of one.

At that point, you're essentially paying less than the cost of a normal electric water heater. The GE one is on sale at Lowes for $999 right now.


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## Chris0nllyn

NIU_Huskies said:


> SMECO is offering a bonus $50 to their $500 rebate (for $550 total) on Hybrid Heat Pump water heaters through June 12th.
> 
> Add that to the $300 federal credit and you're going to get $850 back on the purchase of one.
> 
> At that point, you're essentially paying less than the cost of a normal electric water heater. The GE one is on sale at Lowes for $999 right now.



Hell of a deal. The reviews for GE hybrids don't make me feel warm and fuzzy though.


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## PeoplesElbow

Chris0nllyn said:


> Hell of a deal. The reviews for GE hybrids don't make me feel warm and fuzzy though.



Having replaced several water heaters because they decide to leak all over the floor I sure wouldn't put in one that has a poor history.


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## NIU_Huskies

Chris0nllyn said:


> Hell of a deal. The reviews for GE hybrids don't make me feel warm and fuzzy though.



The poorer reviews appear to be on the first models. Apparently the current GE hybrid is the 2nd revised model (or 3rd?).

Either way its warrantied for 10 years and at $150 can you really complain that much?


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## Chris0nllyn

NIU_Huskies said:


> The poorer reviews appear to be on the first models. Apparently the current GE hybrid is the 2nd revised model (or 3rd?).
> 
> Either way its warrantied for 10 years and at $150 can you really complain that much?



It's not me I have to worry about. It's my wife when we run out of hot water and she says "why'd you have to buy this piece of crap"


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## NIU_Huskies

I'm going to pick up the GE Geospring tomorrow from Lowe's. Take advantage of that $550 rebate thru SMECO before the June 12th deadline. Lowe's has an extended 5-year warranty for labor and parts for $59.95. It starts after the 1-year GE labor warranty period. So I'd be covered for first 6-years on parts and labor.

Anyone have any recommendations or experience with a reputable and reasonably priced plumber in Charles/Calvert County I can use for the install?


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## PeoplesElbow

NIU_Huskies said:


> I'm going to pick up the GE Geospring tomorrow from Lowe's. Take advantage of that $550 rebate thru SMECO before the June 12th deadline. Lowe's has an extended 5-year warranty for labor and parts for $59.95. It starts after the 1-year GE labor warranty period. So I'd be covered for first 6-years on parts and labor.
> 
> Anyone have any recommendations or experience with a reputable and reasonably priced plumber in Charles/Calvert County I can use for the install?



My experience with those Lowes extended warranties is not a good one, they wanted me to drive a chainsaw over to the eastern shore for repair.  I tried to explain to them it was a 4 hr drive and they kept telling me it was not, it is only 35 miles away.  I asked them to look at a map and they got snotty with me.


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## itsbob

What's the rebate on the tankless hot water heaters?


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## itsbob

We just installed a heat pump up stairs.. $1300 rebate from SMECO an addition 1100 or 1200 from Carrier.


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## PeoplesElbow

itsbob said:


> What's the rebate on the tankless hot water heaters?



Why do you need to heat hot water?


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## itsbob

PeoplesElbow said:


> Why do you need to heat hot water?



Why do we park in a driveway.. and..


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## NIU_Huskies

itsbob said:


> What's the rebate on the tankless hot water heaters?



There are no federal credits because they aren't considered efficient enough. Not sure about SMECO rebates. My house is all electric so tankless would be a waste of money and very expensive with electrical panel upgrades.


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## NIU_Huskies

I used a Lowe's 10% discount coupon, so with 5-year Lowe's extended warranty and taxes it came out to $1,013.02. Just submitted the SMECO $550 rebate using their online system.


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## itsbob

NIU_Huskies said:


> There are no federal credits because they aren't considered efficient enough. Not sure about SMECO rebates. My house is all electric so tankless would be a waste of money and very expensive with electrical panel upgrades.



Not efficient enough?  Too funny..


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## NIU_Huskies

Is $596 for a water heater installation a good price? Waiting to get a couple other quotes at the moment as well, but that is the first one i received.

I've heard that the going rate for any plumber to do work is a minimum $325, even if its as small as installing a new sink.


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## Chris0nllyn

NIU_Huskies said:


> Is $596 for a water heater installation a good price? Waiting to get a couple other quotes at the moment as well, but that is the first one i received.
> 
> I've heard that the going rate for any plumber to do work is a minimum $325, even if its as small as installing a new sink.



Try to do it yourself? With Sharkbite fittings and flex lines/install kits, it's a breeze.


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## Clem72

Dumb question here. If the heat-pump pulls the heat from the ambient room, unless it's located in a space that hotter than you want, won't you be paying a bit more in AC costs?

If my water heater were in the attic I might look to replace my 10 year old system, but instead it's in the basement. The dehumidifying action would be a benefit though.


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## PeoplesElbow

Clem72 said:


> Dumb question here. If the heat-pump pulls the heat from the ambient room, unless it's located in a space that hotter than you want, won't you be paying a bit more in AC costs?
> 
> If my water heater were in the attic I might look to replace my 10 year old system, but instead it's in the basement. The dehumidifying action would be a benefit though.



They cool the space they are in,  so it would increase the heating costs.  I hope theirs is inside,  otherwise if it is outside of the house it is going to be terribly inefficient in the winter months.


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## NIU_Huskies

Chris0nllyn said:


> Try to do it yourself? With Sharkbite fittings and flex lines/install kits, it's a breeze.



When one of the plumbing companies came to give a quote they said that the existing plumbing feeding the current water heater would need to be brought up to code when installing the new water heater. I do most things myself but my knowledge of plumbing is replacing a shower head or putting in a faucet. I don't know local/state plumbing codes, expansion tanks, condensate pumps, and all the other various nuances of installing this water heater. I wish I did though so I could save myself the money.


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## Chris0nllyn

NIU_Huskies said:


> When one of the plumbing companies came to give a quote they said that the existing plumbing feeding the current water heater would need to be brought up to code when installing the new water heater. I do most things myself but my knowledge of plumbing is replacing a shower head or putting in a faucet. I don't know local/state plumbing codes, expansion tanks, condensate pumps, and all the other various nuances of installing this water heater. I wish I did though so I could save myself the money.



Understood. 

Are you in Calvert County? If so, I can get you the number of a great plumber.


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## itsbob

Chris0nllyn said:


> Try to do it yourself? With Sharkbite fittings and flex lines/install kits, it's a breeze.



Taylor gas came in to install my tankless (converting from an old 50 gallon tank) while they were running the gas lines I was cutting and running new copper to them.  They were a little bewildered about how fast I was going, and "WTH are those things you are using??".   We had a long discussion about them, and the cost (they aren't cheap) and if they did the math if they would save enough labor cost to absorb the cost of the bites.. no more sweating and soldering pipes.. 

It's always a GOOD thing when you can take apart a connection and do it again, and again.. until you get it right.  It's been 5 years with the GatorBites (I think Lowes is GatorBite, and Home Depot is SharkBite?) and still as solid as the day I put them in.. no drips, no drops, and can still take them apart if I needed to to rerun them, which I will if I ever finish that room off.

They even make one for specific for swapping out water heaters:  http://www.lowes.com/pd/GatorBITE-Stainless-Steel-Water-Heater-Connector/3825533


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## Chris0nllyn

itsbob said:


> Taylor gas came in to install my tankless (converting from an old 50 gallon tank) while they were running the gas lines I was cutting and running new copper to them.  They were a little bewildered about how fast I was going, and "WTH are those things you are using??".   We had a long discussion about them, and the cost (they aren't cheap) and if they did the math if they would save enough labor cost to absorb the cost of the bites.. no more sweating and soldering pipes..
> 
> It's always a GOOD thing when you can take apart a connection and do it again, and again.. until you get it right.  It's been 5 years with the GatorBites (I think Lowes is GatorBite, and Home Depot is SharkBite?) and still as solid as the day I put them in.. no drips, no drops, and can still take them apart if I needed to to rerun them, which I will if I ever finish that room off.
> 
> They even make one for specific for swapping out water heaters:  http://www.lowes.com/pd/GatorBITE-Stainless-Steel-Water-Heater-Connector/3825533



And if that one valve won't shut all the way, just twist it. 

I know the plumbing engineers at my company won't allow them on our projects, and I've traditionally preferred sweating the pipes, but they've been out long enough that you'd hear about major issues with them.


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## Clem72

itsbob said:


> They even make one for specific for swapping out water heaters:  http://www.lowes.com/pd/GatorBITE-Stainless-Steel-Water-Heater-Connector/3825533



I may be interested in using these, but I did see some reports that they restrict water flow and somewhat lower your water pressure.  You have any input on that?


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## GWguy

Clem72 said:


> I may be interested in using these, but I did see some reports that they restrict water flow and somewhat lower your water pressure.  You have any input on that?



Haven't seen any significant loss on the ones I've used, and my house pressure is low to start, typically 45-55 psi.  But with any joint, bend, elbow, etc... there will always be some level of loss.  Any interruption disrupts the laminar flow and creates turbulence in the pipe, reducing pressure.


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## PeoplesElbow

I don't like the fact that the sharkbites  allow the pipe to rotate.  Someone new to them has to realize to clean the pipe and debur the pipe well or they will leak,  you also can't use them over a pipe that has had a compression fitting on it in that location.


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## GWguy

PeoplesElbow said:


> I don't like the fact that the sharkbites  allow the pipe to rotate.  Someone new to them has to realize to clean the pipe and debur the pipe well or they will leak,  you also can't use them over a pipe that has had a compression fitting on it in that location.



The rotating is great when you're installing an elbow or something, makes lining up the pipes a breeze.  Not so great when you have a valve.  When you twist the valve, the damn thing rotates on the pipe.


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## Clem72

GWguy said:


> Haven't seen any significant loss on the ones I've used, and my house pressure is low to start, typically 45-55 psi.  But with any joint, bend, elbow, etc... there will always be some level of loss.  Any interruption disrupts the laminar flow and creates turbulence in the pipe, reducing pressure.



Thanks for the info, could have used some of these when converting from copper to PVC under the sink a few months back.  The only other issue I see is complaints that the flexible water heater connector degrades on the output causing bits of black plastic to come out of the tap. So I may stay away from these for that purpose.


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## NIU_Huskies

Chris0nllyn said:


> Understood.
> 
> Are you in Calvert County? If so, I can get you the number of a great plumber.



Chris, I'm in Charles County. Does the plumber do jobs up here?

Thanks for the offer. Appreciate it.


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## NIU_Huskies

Got the GE Geospring installed yesterday. So far so good. The compressor sounds like one on a window air conditioning unit. But still quieter than when the furnace runs. I don't hear it upstairs at all and it doesn't really bother me. It has been keeping the utility room nice and cool. It produces a minimal amount of condensate (small drips). Have the condensate tubing running out the exterior wall of the house since I don't have a drain in the utility room. There was no need to use a condensate pump since the water heater is right next to the exterior wall and the condensate tubing only needs to travel a short distance.

The amount of sediment buildup in the 19 y/o outgoing water heater was disgusting. When we went to drain it the water came out so slowly. Eventually just busted off the bottom drain (we brought it out the driveway at this point) and then stuck a screw driver in there to clear out the gunk and it all started coming out with chunks of sediment that built up over time. The water coming out also had a rusty colored appearance. I've only owned the house for a year but it appears that the previous 18 years no one ever drained the water heater as they recommend at least once a year. After seeing that I will definitely try to drain the new one every 6 months.

Hope this thread helps anyone looking to switch to a heat pump water heater. If anyone has any questions feel free to ask.


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## DoWhat

NIU_Huskies said:


> Got the GE Geospring installed yesterday. So far so good. The compressor sounds like one on a window air conditioning unit. But still quieter than when the furnace runs. I don't hear it upstairs at all and it doesn't really bother me. It has been keeping the utility room nice and cool. It produces a minimal amount of condensate (small drips). Have the condensate tubing running out the exterior wall of the house since I don't have a drain in the utility room. There was no need to use a condensate pump since the water heater is right next to the exterior wall and the condensate tubing only needs to travel a short distance.
> 
> The amount of sediment buildup in the 19 y/o outgoing water heater was disgusting. When we went to drain it the water came out so slowly. Eventually just busted off the bottom drain (we brought it out the driveway at this point) and then stuck a screw driver in there to clear out the gunk and it all started coming out with chunks of sediment that built up over time. The water coming out also had a rusty colored appearance. I've only owned the house for a year but it appears that the previous 18 years no one ever drained the water heater as they recommend at least once a year. After seeing that I will definitely try to drain the new one every 6 months.
> 
> Hope this thread helps anyone looking to switch to a heat pump water heater. If anyone has any questions feel free to ask.




Hope it all works out well for you.
Good info in this thread.
Thanks.


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## itsbob

Clem72 said:


> I may be interested in using these, but I did see some reports that they restrict water flow and somewhat lower your water pressure.  You have any input on that?



None noticeable here.. no loss of pressure


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## itsbob

Clem72 said:


> Thanks for the info, could have used some of these when converting from copper to PVC under the sink a few months back.  The only other issue I see is complaints that the flexible water heater connector degrades on the output causing bits of black plastic to come out of the tap. So I may stay away from these for that purpose.



Never had a reason to use them with PVC, priming and gluing only takes a few seconds... but I use them for copper to copper or copper to PVC..   Never had an issue with plastic pieces from the bites, but have had those issues with PVC after doing a long run, lots of joints.. fine pieces of white PVC caught in faucet filters..


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## Chris0nllyn

NIU_Huskies said:


> Got the GE Geospring installed yesterday. So far so good. The compressor sounds like one on a window air conditioning unit. But still quieter than when the furnace runs. I don't hear it upstairs at all and it doesn't really bother me. It has been keeping the utility room nice and cool. It produces a minimal amount of condensate (small drips). Have the condensate tubing running out the exterior wall of the house since I don't have a drain in the utility room. There was no need to use a condensate pump since the water heater is right next to the exterior wall and the condensate tubing only needs to travel a short distance.
> 
> The amount of sediment buildup in the 19 y/o outgoing water heater was disgusting. When we went to drain it the water came out so slowly. Eventually just busted off the bottom drain (we brought it out the driveway at this point) and then stuck a screw driver in there to clear out the gunk and it all started coming out with chunks of sediment that built up over time. The water coming out also had a rusty colored appearance. I've only owned the house for a year but it appears that the previous 18 years no one ever drained the water heater as they recommend at least once a year. After seeing that I will definitely try to drain the new one every 6 months.
> 
> Hope this thread helps anyone looking to switch to a heat pump water heater. If anyone has any questions feel free to ask.



Glad you got it worked out.

Could you post any changes to your electric bill when the time comes?


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## NIU_Huskies

Chris0nllyn said:


> Glad you got it worked out.
> 
> Could you post any changes to your electric bill when the time comes?



Sure thing, i think the month of July will be a better indicator for me since the new water heater didn't get installed until 10 days into June. But i'll let everyone know what the June bill looks like.


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## Chris0nllyn

NIU_Huskies said:


> Sure thing, i think the month of July will be a better indicator for me since the new water heater didn't get installed until 10 days into June. But i'll let everyone know what the June bill looks like.



You're right. And being able to compare to last year would help also.

I'm just trying to get some first hand experience with them before I make the plunge.


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## Clem72

itsbob said:


> Never had a reason to use them with PVC, priming and gluing only takes a few seconds... but I use them for copper to copper or copper to PVC..   Never had an issue with plastic pieces from the bites, but have had those issues with PVC after doing a long run, lots of joints.. fine pieces of white PVC caught in faucet filters..



After reading this thread when it first popped up I went down to look at my water heater. Looks like the thing was actually installed with SharkBite adapters already (just the adapters, not the entire hose+adapter end).

My water heater is electric, but its located right next to my gas line distributer for the house which has an unused port, so I have been considering going to gas. But now I am worried about upgrading at all as I'm not keen to learn up about bleeder systems or whatever the new code is, nor do I want to pay someone several hundred dollars to do it for me.


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## steppinthrax

I know this is an old thread here, but I just recently bought a Rheem Hybrid Hot water heater from HD. It was the 50 gallon model.  I had it for a month in Heat Pump Mode.  My first electric bill went down by about 15 to 20 dollars.  It has worked very well so far.


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## PeoplesElbow

steppinthrax said:


> I know this is an old thread here, but I just recently bought a Rheem Hybrid Hot water heater from HD. It was the 50 gallon model.  I had it for a month in Heat Pump Mode.  My first electric bill went down by about 15 to 20 dollars.  It has worked very well so far.



That is cool,  I have to warn you though that my SMECO bill this last cycle was over $40 less than usual (and my lowest ever by far)  guessing some sort of credit was applied.


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## steppinthrax

PeoplesElbow said:


> That is cool,  I have to warn you though that my SMECO bill this last cycle was over $40 less than usual (and my lowest ever by far)  guessing some sort of credit was applied.



I've compared my last year's energy usage to this year's (same month).  I used less KwHr,  but I've only seen one month's bill.  I need to go over several additional months before I can say either way. 

But considering we are going from Resistance Heating (traditional heating elements ) to a Heat Pump, I'm certain there is going to be a drop in price, just how much is the thing.....


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